Cavaliers, Warriors kick off third straight NBA Finals matchup

NBA finals.
(Image credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors face off Thursday in Oakland for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, marking the third straight season the teams will meet in the championship series. The Warriors enter the series with home-court advantage as the overall top seed and have gone 12-0 in this year's playoffs, while the Cavaliers are looking to repeat as champions after their legendary Finals comeback last year.

The star-studded series will feature seven All-Stars, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant of the Warriors, and LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers. ESPN noted that the team that wins Game 1 of the Finals has emerged as the champion 49 out of 70 times.

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